A FUNDING thumbs-down for Redcar’s proposed horizontal pier has been sounded by the Government - but those behind the plan remain buoyant.

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Tom Blenkinsop asked in Parliament if the Secretary of State for Transport, Justine Greening, would “provide funding for an additional traditional pier in Redcar and Cleveland”.

The Redcar Pier Association is gathering support for its plan to build a horizontal pier - in addition to the vertical pier - at Redcar.

But it appears there’ll be no cash coming from the Department of Transport after Parliamentary under secretary of state Norman Baker told Mr Blenkinsop: “Taken at face value, it seems unlikely that a project of this nature would meet transport objectives and provide value for money under a transport appraisal.”

However, Mr Baker’s response isn’t deterring the group.

Spokesman Carl Conway said: “We’re not really asking the Government for money at the moment, although we might in a few years.

“We might also try for Lottery and Euro cash in the future, but the whole ethos is abut trying to raise it ourselves and we believe it’s a fantastic project for local businesses to get involved in.”

Mr Conway says they had a “fantastic response” to a Gazette article on the project earlier this month.

He added: “We’ve had some sizeable donations, a lot more interest in our Facebook site and we have a website coming soon.”

He said they already have “tens of thousands” worth of talent on board through the likes of architects, accountants and lawyers. But more skilled people are needed, he said, especially civil marine engineers and structural engineers.